Wine & Spirits - April 2020 - 80

YEAR'S BEST US PINOT NOIRS
older vines at Besson, near Gilroy, this
is sappy and bright, with scents of turf
and strawberry and a bit of orange zest to
brighten the edges. The flavors are light and
crunchy, coastal through and through; for
roast trout. (2,400 cases) -P.J.C.
516991

90 | Williams Selyem

$39

2017 Central Coast Pinot Noir ^ When
John Dyson purchased Williams Selyem in
1998, he already owned vineyards in San
Benito County. Today, the team at Williams
Selyem seems to be getting the most out of
those vines, growing a pinot noir that has
an electric-purple color and a bright, juicy,
crushed-berry richness of fruit, with subtle
violet scents. It's a simple, sleek, balanced
and satisfying wine for roast duck breast.
(W&S 8/19) -P.J.C.
519767

87 | Cupcake

$11

2017 Central Coast Pinot Noir (Best Buy) ^
This is as sweet as cherry pie filling; it's pure
and straightforward, not overwhelmed by
oak agents. -P.J.C.

NORT H C OA ST
CARNEROS
519914

92 | WindVane

MARIN COUNTY
519804

91 | DeLoach

$45

2016 Marin County Marin Pinot Noir ^ This
grew at a vineyard in northern Marin, bordering the Petaluma Gap, where the fruit
delivered a bright cherry-red pinot. The flavor deepens with air, the tannins taking the
wine toward the savor of blueberry skins.
The overall impression is light and delicate,
a coastal red for roast fish. (191 cases) -J.G.

ANDERSON VALLEY
517967

$48

2017 Anderson Valley La Selva Pinot Noir ^
Drew Huffine joined Lioco as winemaker at
the beginning of 2018, inheriting the stillfermenting 2017 pinot noirs from the Cerise
WINE & SPIRITS

$86

2016 Anderson Valley Split Rail Pinot Noir ^
Katey Larwood joined Goldeneye as assistant
winemaker in 2016; now in charge, she saw
this pinot through to release, preserving the
coastal freshness of the vineyard site in the
wine's black-cherry-skin flavors and salty
notes of nori. The tannins are intense without being aggressive, creating a tight path for
the wine's richness and spice to race. That
lasting, breathable spice would add to anything from planked salmon to slow-smoked
pork ribs. (W&S 8/19; 360 cases) -J.G.

519470

92 | Waits-Mast

APRIL 2020

$58

2016 Anderson Valley Deer Meadows
Vineyard Pinot Noir ^ This vineyard, farmed
by Rich Savoy, is located above Boonville.
The sunny, southeast-facing site ripened this
wine to supple roundness, even as the elevation (1,600 feet) kept it fresh. Tasting coordinator Sydney Love described that freshness
as "different hues of cherry, cherry meat,
black-cherry skin and raspberry." The youthful fruit lasts, even as the structure holds it
tense, dynamic and pretty. (140 cases) -J.G.
519996

91 | Lioco

M EN D O C I NO C OU N T Y

93 | Goldeneye

$80

2016 Carneros Reserve Pinot Noir ^ Steven
Urberg makes this wine from estate vineyards that also serve Gloria Ferrer, 335 acres
of vines in the western reaches of Carneros.
Its gentle texture is layered in earthy tannins and muscular cherry fruit, a supple wine
with green-peppercorn notes adding spice.
Decant it for duck rillettes. (100 cases) -J.G.

95 | Lioco

Vineyard, on inland ridges above Boonsville,
and from Kiser, closer to the Pacific in Anderson Valley's Deep End. He also inherited a
dilemma: Lioco no longer purchased fruit
from the vineyard that had anchored La
Selva, their Anderson Valley blend, so Huffine and Matt Licklider decided to declassify
two barrels each from these vineyard designates to create this clean, rich and oceanic
pinot, using the brisk cherry-skin notes of a
far-coast pinot to lighten and layer seashell
salinity into the inland pinot's bitter chocolate tannins. It's a pretty wine, and pretty
light in terms of extract and weight, yet it
delivers sophisticated flavor depth. (W&S
10/19) -J.G.
517089

$56

2018 Anderson Valley Abel Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ From a vineyard near Philo,
in the Deep End of Anderson Valley, these
grapes matured toward purple sweetness,
capturing some brisk saltiness to contrast the
rhubarb-scented fruit. With air, the wine's
grape-skin tannins absorb the sweetness, giving it a clean line. For duck prosciutto. -J.G.
517968

91 | Lioco

$80

91 | MacRostie

$58

91 | Waits-Mast

$45

90 | Drew

$60

2017 Anderson Valley Kiser Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ There's brisk, coastal fruit at the
heart of this pinot, hidden for now behind a
heavy drape of tannins, both from new oak
and from a higher proportion of whole clusters than Lioco's La Selva (also recommended
here). Scents of plum and wild strawberries
lighten it up, the red fruit shining through
the spicy tannins. Still tight, this needs age
to yield its complexities. (W&S 10/19) -J.G.
517455
2017 Anderson Valley Donnelly Creek
Vineyard Pinot Noir ^ Catch this wine now
for its pretty scent of roses and its gentle, peppery grip. It's the color of a red rose petal and
just about as delicate, with muddled-cherry
flavors ending clean and refreshing. For panroasted salmon and wild mushrooms. (W&S
10/19; 318 cases) -J.G.
519471
2016 Anderson Valley Nash Mill Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ Grown at a cool, late-ripening
site in the northern reaches of the Anderson Valley, this pinot noir is made by Shalini
Sekhar at an urban winery in San Francisco.
It's more savory than fruity, with light notes
of orange pith and celery root, an earthy red
that's tight and closed, feeling younger than
many 2017s. Rose notes come up with air. For
an earthy braise. (140 cases) -J.G.
517328
2017 Anderson Valley Morning Dew
Ranch Pinot Noir ^ Drew works with two
blocks at Morning Dew, one planted to a
Rochioli selection and another to 828, said
to have been propagated with cuttings from
La Tâche. In 2017, this is a ripe wine with
red-fruit sweetness ranging from strawberry
to bright, light cherry. The flavors last with
spicy warmth. (W&S 10/19) -J.G.
517090

90 | Goldeneye

$125

2016 Anderson Valley Ten Degrees Pinot
Noir ^ This is a blend of the top lots from
Goldeneye's three estate vineyards in Anderson Valley, located along Route 128 from
Confluence in Philo to the Narrows, deeper
into the western end of the valley toward
Navarro. It's concentrated, cushioned, gentle
and harmonious, lasting on warm white-pepper spice, dark cherries and autumn leaves.
The influence of its time in oak is still apparent, though those wood tones will meld with
bottle age, or in the company of filet mignon.
(W&S 8/19; 1,156 cases) -J.G.

https://purchase.waitsmast.com/2016-waits-mast-pinot-noir-deer-meadows-vineyard-anderson-valley-p59.aspx

Wine & Spirits - April 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - April 2020